The Choice
by Scented Farts
Summary: Alex Rider is the only contestant of a live 24 hour game show. He is required to make five cruel choices, which will put the life of Alex, and many others on the line.
1. Prologue

**A/N: Okay, so I've had a dream (or nightmare :P) similar to this for weeks now, so I decided to make it into an AR Fanfiction. This first part is short, but it's like sort of an explanation I guess…I'll call it a prologue.**

**[Disclaimer] I own nothing, except maybe the idea.**

**Prologue**

Jack flicked through the TV channels, looking for something to watch. Alex was staying over by a friend's house tonight. She had gotten a call from the father. He eyes passed a channel she'd never seen before. There was no name for the channel, just a symbol. Strange, she thought. Must be something new they were trying out. What was even stranger was that there was only one programme showing all day. It was called 'The Choice'.

_A pale black haired man appeared on the screen. He was wearing a black turtle neck sweater and skinny jeans. He was strange looking, but at the same time handsome. _

'_Welcome viewers.' He smiled, his perfect teeth showing. _

'_I'm here to bring you all a new live TV programme, but first let me explain a few things.'_

_He sat down on a single chair, and the camera zoomed into his face. _

'_The government have no control over this particular show. It is run entirely by me and a few of my trusted acquaintances. We had an idea, and decided to go along with it. I must advise you now though, if you are squeamish please do not bother watching this. There will be blood…and it is all real.'_

'_This… game, as a name must be given, is called "The Choice". There is only one contestant though, which is why I hesitate in calling it a game. The contestant will be filmed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for five weeks, maybe a little more. They will be required to make five choices, once each week. The choices will be easy at first, but get a lot harder as the weeks go on. If the contestant fails to make their choice within an hour, both outcomes will take place.'_

_He shifted in his chair._

'_If the authorities attempt to stop us, the contestant will be killed. We are hidden, so I doubt they will find us anyway.' He chuckled slightly._

'_Each choice this person makes will determine whether they continue to the next choice. If we decide the choice is wrong, they will be killed…' there was a long silence._

'_Now, to introduce the contestant.' _

_The screen switched to a dark room. In the middle of screen there as a figure on his knees. His arms appeared to be chained to the wall- they hung loosely, slightly above his head. The camera zoomed onto his face._

Jack gasped.

'_His name is Alex Rider'._

**A/N: Sorry if the idea sucks, but I really wanted to turn it into an FF! Please review and tell me what you think, and if I should continue or not ^_^**

**And regarding my other AR Fanfiction, I will update sometime! xD**


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

It's always a shock when you recognise somebody you know on TV. Some people are jealous, others are happy for their companion- it all depends on the situation. When the person you recognise is chained to a wall though, with a bloodied face...you feel nothing but horror.

'_His name is Alex Rider.'_

Jack just stared at the screen, transfixed. Was this really happening? Alex was supposed to be at a friend's house. Tom to be exact. Maybe her eyes were playing tricks on her. Rushing over to the phone, she searched through the contacts. She pressed call when she found Tom's name. It rang a few times until someone answered.

'Hello'. Said a rough voice.

'Hi, this is Jack Starbright, Alex's guardian. I'm just calling to see if he's okay…' she trailed off.

'How would I know?' The man replied.

'You called earlier telling me he was staying over…' Jack felt her insides drop. She prepared herself for what was coming.

'Look lady, I really don't know what you are talking about. Nobody is staying at this house except me and my son.'

Tom Harris sat in his room staring at his 12 inch TV. He had found a new channel on it, and decided to take a look. Nothing prepared him for what he saw. Eyes not leaving the screen Tom grabbed his mobile. He heard the phone downstairs ringing, but his dad would answer it. Searching his contacts, he found the name the was looking for. Sabina Pleasure. Alex had introduced him to her, and the two had become friends almost immediately. He decided to text her.

'Sab, I hav sumthin important 2 tell u. Txt bck asap.'

Sabina Pleasure felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. Whoever it was, they could wait. She sat with her parents in the living room, staring at the television.

'Is that really Alex…?' her dad asked.

She nodded slowly…she could recognise him anywhere.

'We have to help him...' Her voice was barely a whisper.

'I'll call MI6.' Her father offered. He had been given their number, as well as the CIA- in case they were in any trouble again. The phone rang a few times until Alan Blunt's secretary answered.

Mrs. Jones sat opposite her superiors' desk. They had received news that an unauthorised TV channel had been added to every TV across the country. A few minutes later they found out that it was not only this country, but every country across the globe. This caused them to pay more attention to the matter, and they decided to watch it so see what was going on. Half an hour later they both sat staring at the plasma screen, neither showing any emotion. It was the second that they heard his name being called that their mouths dropped. After what seemed like forever, they turned to each other- their emotions hidden once more.

'What do we do, sir?' Jones asked.

'We find out who they are.'

'What about Alex? Shouldn't we try to help him?'

After a moments silence, he answered.

'No…we can't- at least not yet. You heard what they said. If we try to save him, he will be killed.'

Alex Rider felt something wet on his face. It stank of blood- which almost certainly meant it was blood. Stirring out off unconsciousness, he slowly lifted his head.

_The boy on the screen stared directly at the viewers._

**A/N: I'll post another chapter tomorrow, or more like today seeing as it's 2:30 am… Glad to see people are enjoying the story! More about Alex in the next chapter I promise! Sorry this one is so short as well :s**


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

The news had spread quickly. By the second day every news station had told the story of the boy who was part of an illegal game show. Alex Rider, fourteen years old in his fourth year of high school. They told the story as they usually did, making their audience feel sorry for the boy, exaggerating everything. It worked of course, and soon the boy had his own Facebook fan page. 'Free Alex Rider' it was called. The thought was nice, but it would make no difference. Nobody could stop these madmen from playing their game. Something that the public didn't know though was that this particular boy had worked for MI6 on many different occasions, so he had already had his fair share of madmen.

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><p>Alex sat in his room trying to figure out what to do. He didn't know much about these people, he suspected they were SCORPIA at first but they didn't even know he was a spy, so that was out of the question. Yesterday when he had woken up he had been given a brief explanation of his situation. He had to play a game- simple enough. All he had to do was win this game and they would let him go. What troubled him were the details the strange man had included. If he made the wrong choice he would be killed. If he failed to make a choice he would be forced to make another, even worse choice. The thought sent shivers through his body.<p>

He had an hour to make the choice. That seemed long enough, but something troubled him. They had said that his hour could be extended if he wanted, with a maximum extension time of 120 minutes for each choice. There was a catch though- there was always a catch. For every minute extra he wanted he would have to go through a minute of torture. They hadn't been specific on the type of torture, but he didn't expect anything too kind.

Alex sighed and looked around the room. There was one uncomfortable looking bed. He hadn't had a chance to test it yet though as he had spent most of last night walking around his room. There was a clock above the door, telling him that it was 2pm. The students from his school would be enjoying themselves right now, most likely out with their friends or family. He felt a rush of envy course through his blood. Why him? Why was it _always_ him?

He looked up at the ceiling and he caught something black at the corner of the room. His eyes searched around and realised there were four of them- one at each corner. He groaned. These people keeping a close eye on him. What he was completely unaware of though was the fact that not only were his captors keeping an eye on him; the whole world was watching his every movement. Most of them wondered why the fourteen year old boy was not in a state of panic right now. He seemed perfectly calm, like this happened to him all the time. That was ridiculous though, he was only a child. No child would have been in a situation like this before.

The room also had a window, which was barred up and covered with black paper on the outside. It was as if they were mocking him, telling him that freedom was just a wall away. The man in the turtle neck sweater who he decided to call 'Turtle' had told him that he would be making his first choice today- in approximately three hours. Alex longed for one of Smithers' gadgets. He wanted to contact MI6- to tell him what was going on. He could only hope that they figured out that he was missing and come to rescue him. That thought gave him hope, if only slightly.

There was a knock on the door. Alex laughed, what was the point? People knocked on doors to give others privacy, but these people had four- most likely more, cameras in the room. He was certain they weren't too bothered about giving him privacy.

"Come in," he said, deciding to do along with it.

A young man entered the room. He looked to be in his early 20's with a big smile on his face and was carrying a plate in his hand. The man had brown hair with a side swept fringe and hazel eyes. He most definitely did not seem like the type of person who would be working for a group of maniacs.

"Hi there Alex, I'm Stephen. Steve for short," he walked over to the wall Alex was leaning on and held a hand out for him to shake.

"Hi, I'm Alex- but you already knew that," Alex said not moving his hands. He didn't want to make friends.

Steve held his hands out for what had to be the most awkward ten seconds of his life, and placed it back at his side. As if to make it even more awkward, he knew many people around the world were watching. He coughed his embarrassment away and held out his plate for the boy.

"I brought you some food. You must be starving!"

Alex looked at the plate. It was wrapped in cling film and the plate was plastic, but the food looked rather good. There was a beef burger and a handful of chips on it. He felt his hands reach towards the plate, and cursed himself for giving in. Taking the plate he put it down on the floor next to him. He would at least restrain himself from eating in front of the man.

"Enjoy the food," Steve said. "Oh, and remember- you're due to make your choice in three hours."

Alex didn't respond, but he did glare at the man until he was out of the room. He didn't want to look like a weak fourteen year old boy; he wanted these people to know that he was stronger than they thought. It wasn't time for that now though, besides, there were some benefits of people underestimating you. They were always caught off guard when you show them your true potential.

Three hours later Alex was woken by the sound of the door opening. He had devoured his food the second Steve was out of the door and disposed of the plastic plate on the bin he found next to the bed. He looked up and saw Turtle standing at the door. He was wearing a dark blue turtle neck sweater this time. Alex was certain this nickname was perfect for this man.

"It's time," Turtle said, as if he was trying to build up suspension. Alex was having none of it.

"Oh it's time already? Great! I can't wait. You wouldn't mind telling me what my choices are going to be, would you?"

"When we get there," he said, and walked out of the room. Alex followed behind. He was led into a room with two doors, not including the one he had come through. One was red and the other was blue.

"Like I told you before Alex, your first choice will be easy. It is simply to choose which door to go through."

"What's on the other side?" Alex questioned.

"That's for you to find out," Turtle smirked.

Which door would be the right one? Red or blue? Alex thought about this for a while; blue is usually associated with good while red was associated with evil. Or so he thought, but they could be tricking him. They could know that he would make that assumption, and purposefully make it the other way around. Groaning, Alex walked towards the red door.

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><p>"So…which door is the wrong one?" Steve asked one of his bosses. Three of them were sitting watching a large television screen.<p>

The only woman in the room laughed.

"The red one."

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><p><strong>AN: Sorry I didn't update yesterday! I went to see Deathly Hallows Part Two so I was mourning, and I went swimming earlier today so I started writing once I got back! Hope you liked this chapter :) **


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

Alex held onto the door handle. He twisted it slightly when he caught something from the corner of his eyes. He looked over and saw Turtle quickly put his hand behind his back, but he was not quick enough. The glimmer of a gun was something Alex had gotten used to in the past few months. He let go of the handle and backed away from the door. So, the red door was the wrong one. If he had gone through that one he would have been shot- he was sure of it. Why else would Turtle be bringing out a gun? The man was silently cursing himself inside, but did not show any outward emotion to the boy. He had made a mistake, but he would not give anything away.

Alex turned and walked towards the blue door. Hesitating for a moment, he turned the handle and walked through the door. He was in a small square room with a metal floor. Was this it? He wasn't certain he had made the right choice, but he wasn't dead yet so that was a good sign. He searched the room for some sign of what to do next but there was nothing in there. Suddenly, he heard the door slam shut. Spinning round he made his way towards the door. Lifting his hand as if to turn the handle his hand froze in mid air- there was no handle. Starting to panic a little he tried pushing the door. It wouldn't budge. He wasn't claustrophobic, but there was something unnerving about being trapped in small spaces with no means of escape. He searched everywhere in the room but the walls were plain. What was going on? He was about to kick the door when he heard a machine like sound. Looking down at where the sound came from he gasped. The metallic floor was parting.

Alex pressed himself onto one of the walls trying to avoid falling. He looked into the gap and gulped. It was filled with water. The floor was almost gone by now, only the ledge that he was struggling to stand on was left. Soon, that too was gone and Alex fell into the water, managing to suck in as much air as he could before he was completely covered. The first thing he noticed was the temperature of the water. It was near freezing. He tried to swim back towards the room, but it was useless- the floor was once again closed. This was when he began to really panic. Did he make the wrong choice? Was this how they were going to kill him? He could already feel his lungs straining for air so he tried to calm himself.

He was about to look around when he felt something grab a hold of his legs. He kicked out but whatever it was wouldn't let go. He looked down and saw a diver clamping something around his left leg. There was a chain attached to it. Pulling his leg up he tried to get rid of it but it was too late. He was trapped. The chain was attached to the ground. The diver had disappeared from sight, but Alex had worse things to worry about. Just then, he felt someone grab his hands from behind. He struggled but the person was a lot stronger than he was. Something was being pulled onto his mouth, and it took a while for Alex to realise it was an oxygen pipe. By now, his lungs felt like they were about to collapse, so he gratefully took in whatever air he was offered.

He allowed the unknown person to put the oxygen tank on his back, and he secured the diving mask on his face. It was filled with water and he found himself remembering the time he went diving with his uncle. He had taught him how to put diving goggles on underwater. He angled his head so one side was up, and pushed on the lower side. Breathing through his nose he felt the mask fill with air. Relief flooded through his veins and he relaxed. His relief did not last long though. A voice came from somewhere to his left out of a hidden speaker.

"Alex Rider. Congratulations on picking the right choice. You will proceed to the second round, but it all depends on if you survive this," he heard a chuckling from the speaker. "The oxygen mask you are wearing will only last you ten minutes. Your task is to locate the keys to unlock the chain in the tank. Simple really. The chain attached to your leg is long enough for you to swim around the tank. Once the keys are located, you must unlock yourself and the floor to the room you were just in will be opened once again. Understand?"

He didn't bother responding. They knew perfectly well that he understood.

"I take that as a yes," the voice said, "Oh…by the way- you only have nine minutes left."

It sounded easy to Alex; too easy. Nine minutes was more than enough time to find a key, at least he had oxygen. He began swimming forward, keeping an eye out for the keys. The tank was not overly large, probably about seven metres in length, three metres in width, and he was chained to the middle. It took him three minutes to search one side of the tank but he found nothing. The next three minutes were spent scouring the other side, but there was nothing there either. His heart started beating loudly- he only had three minutes left. His body felt numb, and he was afraid. What if he didn't find the keys? He had picked the right choice only to be killed in a much worse way? It was unfair- but when was anything ever fair for him? He shook his head and tried to concentrate. He had searched either side but hadn't found anything.

"Two minutes left," the speaker sounded.

He swam up and down, looking everywhere in the tank. Was there even a key? They wanted him dead. This was it- he was going to die.

* * *

><p>Alan Blunt sat in his office observing his plasma screen television. His second in command sat next to him, neither making a sound. He watched as their youngest agent swam around in a tank searching for the keys. He was not the type of man who would let his emotions get the better of him, but at this second he wanted to scream. He wished there was some way he could communicate with the boy- to tell him that-<p>

* * *

><p>"THE KEYS ARE ON YOUR BACK ALEX!" Tom screamed at his TV.<p>

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><p><strong>AN: Sorry I didn't update earlier! My internet didn't work last night and I was out today…sorry for the cliff-hanger, I just love them too much...**


	5. Chapter Four

**A/N: Okay guys, I'm super sorry for the lateness of this chapter. My parents are the 'last minute holiday' type of people, and they decided take me and my sister on one a few days after the last chapter was posted. The WiFi here is a total pain in the backside here, and I'm lucky to even get five minutes on it without it going crazy. Well, it's supposed to be a retreat, so I guess I shouldn't be using mush technology.**

** Anywhoo…I want to give a BIG thank you to everyone who reviewed on my last chapter, and I would just like to say that I've read all of them, and if the WiFi didn't suck, I would reply telling you guys how much I love you and appreciate everything you've told me about the story or what I can improve.**

**I hope you enjoy the chapter and I would like to assure you that I WILL finish this story, as well as my other one. It may take a while, but I refuse to let it end midway. I know too well how annoying it is when a story ends in the middle, and you're dying to know what happens in the end. Haha, tell me if you guys are dying, and feel free to groan at me if I don't update. **

**I love you guys… :')**

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><p><strong>Chapter Four<strong>

Thirty seconds left. Alex was sure he was going to die- his luck had finally run out. There was no way out of the tank; he had searched several times for the keys and the only exit was where he had come from. Despite his situation, he was calm. There was no point in panicking as it would only cause him more discomfort.

"Twenty Seconds."

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><p>If the pillow that Jack was clutching had been a human, they would surely be dead by now. Her heart felt as if it would burst out of her chest any second. She wasn't a religious person, but she found herself praying. Praying to whoever was up there that Alex would make it out of this. Tears were starting to form in her eyes, but she refused to let them out. If she let them out, it would mean that she'd lost hope. That Alex would…she couldn't bring herself to think, let alone say the word. How could she live with herself if anything happened to him? The boy had been in her care for years now. He was like a brother. No. He <em>was<em> her brother. Blood didn't make someone family, love did. She loved Alex more than words could describe. Clasping her hands together she started to beg.

"Please…I need Alex. You can't do this…you can't take him away from me!"

The voice on the TV sounded.

"10 seconds."

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><p>Alex was numb all over. He was glad for it, it was better than the alternative. The boy in the tank closed his eyes, awaiting his fate. The person behind the speaker was counting down now. Ten seconds left until his air ran out. As he closed his eyes he started to recall the events of the past few days.<p>

_School was over and Alex Rider was glad. It had been a long day filled with the subjects that required most brain activity- Physics, Chemistry, Biology and a double lesson of Maths. He sighed as he rode his bicycle down an alleyway. He didn't normally take this route as it was always filled with druggies and smelled like urine. He was halfway through it when he heard people whispering. Ahead of him were two men who were definitely going to be trouble. Deciding to ignore them, Alex pedalled on. This was a mistake._

"_Now!" one of the men shouted. _

_He had no time to react as the men pulled him off his bike, causing his to slam against the floor. He managed to get halfway up when he felt a familiar sound; the click of a gun just in front of him._

"_Don't move. We're not going to hurt you," one of them said in a strangely calm voice. _

_It was always funny when people told you they weren't going to hurt you when they held a gun to your forehead. The gun was held steady in the man's hand- he was obviously trained. Alex got up slowly eyeing the gun. Deciding to use the art of surprise, he kicked forward knocking the gun to the side of the alleyway. As he was about to swing his leg back up and kick the man though, his leg was grabbed. _

"_You'll be perfect" the man smiled._

_Alex felt something sharp inject into his neck. It all happened surprisingly fast and soon he found himself falling. His last moments of consciousness were spent clutching his forehead as it hit the wall on the left side of the alleyway. _

Now, he was stuck here in a tank of freezing water about to die. Just great. How had he gotten here again? Oh yeah- he'd fallen through the floor. He remembered the diver giving him his mask and oxygen tank. Why did he bother giving him oxygen when they weren't going to let him live? The diver had just put the tank on his back and left him there to die. Honestly, how could people be so cruel?

"Five."

Only a matter of time left. He let the water take him wherever it pleased. That was when he heard it. He had to stretch his hearing out, but there was no mistaking it. The sound of metal against metal. How could he have missed it? The oxygen tank! Quickly turning his head, he saw it. The keys were attached to a hook on the oxygen tank. He felt like crying. It was painfully obvious yet he figured it out in the last few seconds. He would kick himself if he had the time.

Grabbing the keys and pulling it off the hook, he got to work.

"Two…one."

He took a deep breath, making use of whatever oxygen there was left for him. Lifting his leg closer to his hands, he put the key into the lock. There were three keys on the keychain. The first wouldn't fit into the lock, but he was lucky the second time. He heard the sound of the lock opening and relief flooded through him. He kicked the chain off his leg and started swimming up. He would see the outline of the floor he had come through. Why wasn't in opening? They had said if the unlocked himself they would open it. Starting to panic again, Alex wondered if he was meant to unlock himself during the time limit. Damn! They couldn't do this to him now. Banging his hands onto the metal floor, he felt his lungs begin to hurt. He breathed out and kept slamming his fists on the metal. It wasn't opening. He was starting to get light headed when it opened.

Two people were dragging him out of the water. He lay on the floor for a few minutes, savouring the air around him. He heard someone clapping. Looking up, he saw turtle standing over him applauding.

"Well done Alex."

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><p><strong>AN: Apologies for any grammar mistakes or anything that doesn't make sense... I tried to get this up before the internet crashes. **

**Lets hope this gets updated! *crosses fingers***

**Oh, and I'll get the next chapter up a lot quicker :D **


	6. Chapter Five

**A/N: This is the longest chapter I've written :D My eyes are hurting with the amount of hours I've spent on my laptop today o-o" Anywhoo... I'm off to watch some Korean dramas, and possibly start 'The Inbetweeners' series. Anyone know if it's any good? **

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><p><strong>Chapter Five<strong>

"_Authorities have yet to find where fourteen year old Alex Rider is being kept. They are making every effort possible to rescue the boy and get him to safety. The reason the teenager was taken has yet to have been discovered. It has been confirmed that the fourteen year old has missed many months of school over the past year, due to some sort of illness, but the doctors refuse to give further information."_

_The news reporter straightened herself up and continued._

"_Many of Mr. Rider's acquaintances at school have said that the boy had been acting strange after the death of his uncle- Ian Rider, a bank worker. They suspect their fellow student of getting involved in gang violence and drugs. They say every time he returned after being 'ill', he would have numerous cuts and scars over his body. Some of the students would even go as far as accusing the boy of working for some sort of intelligence agency, which of course is out of the question," the woman laughed, "Kids these days have the strangest imaginations."_

Alan Blunt switched off the television. He was inwardly cursing the media for being such snoops. He was doing everything in his power to prevent the boy's secret from getting out. Even though nobody would likely believe that a fourteen year old was working for MI6, it did not mean they couldn't be swayed. The teenager had yet to show his skill on live television, but all it took was an idea to be planted into someone's mind. Sooner or later some person with too much time on their hands could collect enough information to form some sort of conspiracy, and get other people with too much time on their hands to believe it. He wouldn't allow that to happen.

Picking up the remote again, Blunt decided to check in on Alex. 'Let's hope he's still alive,' he thought.

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><p>Alex was still exhausted from his near death experience. After catching his breath Turtle had applauded him and sent him back to his room. An hour later he was given some dry clothes to change into. It had been four days, and since then nothing exciting had happened. He was given a meal twice a day. Usually a sandwich for breakfast, meat and something made with potatoes for dinner. He was surprised that the food tasted good, and that he was given a juice or a fizzy drink sometimes. Steve had brought him each of his meals, and though he hated to admit it, he actually kind of liked the man. Despite him working for a bunch of crazy people, he seemed like a rather nice person.<p>

It was not till Thursday night that things started to get a little more interesting. Three more days until he had to make his choice. He had been told that all the choices would be made on Sundays.

Alex had dozed off an hour earlier when he heard the door opening. Still in a daze he sat up from his bed. There was a large figure standing in the doorway.

"What?" Alex asked. He wasn't going to be polite.

"You have two people joining you," the gruff voice said. "They'll be staying with you for a while."

With that the man pushed two dark figures into the room and left- shutting the door. Alex was still bleary eyed when he got out of bed. His hands searched for the light switch which was located next to his bed. With a flick of his finger, it was on.

Standing in front of him were two fragile looking people. On the left was an old man who was blinking, trying to adjust his eyes to the light. He had white hair, and pale blue eyes. He was wearing a brown sweater with black trousers. On the left was a woman who, like they old man, was trying to adjust her eyes to the bright. It took Alex a few seconds to realise that she was pregnant. This infuriated him. What was wrong with his captors? How could they be so cruel as to imprison an elderly man and a pregnant woman?

The woman looked at him, her hazel eyes warm.

"Hi honey, sorry for waking you," she said, her voice and smile just as warm. Silky brown hair hung in curls above her shoulder.

"Oh…uh, it's okay," Alex smiled back awkwardly, "It wasn't your fault."

"I'm Ellie, this is Frank," she gestured to the white haired man next to her.

"Hi," Frank said in a soft voice. He reminded Alex of those old men you saw cuddling their wives in movies. He immediately took a liking to these people.

"I'm Alex," he said extending a hand for each of them to shake.

"Nice to meet you Alex," Ellie said, shaking his hand. Frank did the same.

"So…why did they capture you guys?" Alex questioned.

Frank spoke this time, "They've been holding us for a week now. They haven't told us anything about what they want with us."

"They just woke us up tonight from our cell and told us to follow them. You know the rest," Ellie added. "What about you Alex?"

So they didn't know about the game huh? Alex decided that it would be better not to tell them about it…yet.

"Oh, it's been the same with me," he lied. "Do you two know each other? I mean, did you know each other before you were captured?"

"Nope, we just met a week ago," Ellie grinned, "I feel like I've known Frank forever though. He's such a sweetheart."

Frank smiled at her shyly.

Deciding to be a man, Alex offered Ellie the bed.

"Oh no sweetie, you have the bed."

"Wouldn't it be better for, uhh," he gestured to her stomach. "What I mean to say is, sleeping on the floor must not be good for the baby, right?"

"Hmm…I guess you're right. Sorry if I'm an inconvenience," she looked guiltily at Alex.

Alex quickly shook his head, "Oh no! I'm used to sleeping on the floor."

"Used to sleeping on the floor?" Frank laughed.

"Yeah, um, I had lots of camping trips with my Uncle when I was younger."

After the conversation had died down, they switched off the lights and decided to get some rest. Frank slept at one wall while Alex slept at the other.

"Goodnight Alex, goodnight Frank," Ellie said, once the lights were off.

"Goodnight," they said at the same time.

Alex was woken the next day by Ellie nudging him with her feet.

"Wakey wakey Alex. You can't sleep all day! It's bad for you."

He replied with an inaudible groan. Looking towards the clock, he realised he'd been sleeping for twelve hours. It was now 1pm.

Frank was sitting with his back against the wall about to eat a sandwich.

"Good morning Alex- or should I say good afternoon?" he laughed.

Alex smiled in response. He felt comfortable with these people, and was thankful that they were here. It made him feel less lonely.

"Here," Frank threw him a sandwich wrapped in foil, "Prawn and mayo today."

"Mmm," Alex said, "Sounds good."

After finishing breakfast, all three sighed. They felt comfortable despite their situation. Their conversation started off with asking each other's ages, where they were from and how they had been captured.

Frank was 58, from Blackpool and had been captured while he was watering flowers in his front garden. Ellie was 32, from London and was captured while on her way home from Tesco's. After a while the conversation steered towards their families.

"Do you live with your uncle Alex?" Frank questioned.

"No, I live with my guardian- Jack. My uncle died around a year ago," Alex answered.

"Oh, honey…sorry about your uncle," Ellie squeezed him into a hug. All three were sitting on the bed with their backs against the wall.

"It's okay, we weren't that close. Jack is a great guardian though."

"I'm sure he is," Ellie said. Alex burst out laughing.

"N-no," he said, "Jack isn't a man. _She's_ a female."

Ellie and Frank joined in the laughter. Alex asked Frank about his family next.

"Oh, I live alone," he gave a sad smile. "My wife died two years ago and we had one son. He passed a long time ago though…he was around your age when he died," he said, looking at Alex.

Frank was also given a hug by Ellie, who sat in the middle.

"How, if you don't mind me asking?" Ellie asked him.

"He was in a car accident and died at hospital," his voice was filled with sorrow, and they decided to let the topic drop.

"How about you Ellie?" Alex asked, eager to get Frank's mind off his son.

"I've got two children- well three in a month's time," she looked down at her stomach. "My husband was on a business trip when I was captured."

"How old are they?" Frank asked.

"My oldest son is eight, my other son is five," she was grinning as if remembering something. "They were both at school when I was captured. Every day before they left for school they told me to keep safe," she sighed. Alex could see the tears forming in her eyes. He took a hold of her hand and squeezed it for comfort.

"Do you know what gender your baby is going to be?"

She looked a little happier, "A girl. I'm going to have a baby girl…" she squeezed back at Alex's hand.

The three of them got to know each other more and more over the next two days. Alex and Frank had gotten used to Ellie having mood swings- she was pregnant after all. She would be happy one second, and in tears the next. She shouted at them once for leaving their plastic plates on the floor. After Alex and Frank had both ran to the bin to throw their plates away, she had given them both crushing hugs, apologising. Both males had also been very protective of Ellie, and were always at her side when she had bad contractions.

Everything was going fine until Sunday. The last person Alex wanted to see entered the room asking him to follow behind as he left. He was given concerned looks by both Frank and Ellie as the door closed. Turtle led him to a room with two sofas facing each other.

"Take a seat Alex."

Once Alex was seated he glanced at the clock. It was 5pm- he had somehow lost track of time today.

"I hope you are doing okay," he didn't wait for an answer. "Before anything, how are you getting along with your new roommates?"

"Fine," Alex answered. Why did he care?

"Good, good. Now, Alex, you must have realised by now that they weren't put to stay with you for no reason. No…they're a part of your second choice."

Alex felt his gut twist.

"Alex Rider, your choice this time is a little different to the last," a smile was forming on his face. "I actually think this one is quite easy."

He knew what was coming. No. They couldn't do this…why were they doing this? The smile on Turtle's face widened.

"You must choose which one of your new friends shall be killed."


	7. Chapter Six

**A/N: I'M SO SORRY! Kill me now. Insult me as much as you like, I deserve it! I'm extremely sorry this took so long to update. I've been busy and very…lazy. I was going to update yesterday but I was so nervous about GCSE results! **

**I can finally stop worrying and write for you guys :D I got 7A's, 4B's and 1C which I'm quite happy with, I'm just glad I got the A's in Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Physics ^_^ I'm starting sixth form college in a while…which means I'll probably update more often because I'll be procrastinating :D**

**Enough of my life story, here is the next chapter. :)**

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><p>Even though he knew it was coming, the shock of Turtle actually saying the words did nothing but make him feel worse. He couldn't believe it, he refused to.<p>

"No," Alex said, his voice shaking slightly, "I won't do it."

Turtle smiled.

"Oh Alex, you know what happens if you don't chose either choice, don't you?"

He knew it, and what little hope he had left prayed that Turtle had somehow forgotten, or changed the rules.

"I guess you don't really care for these people as much as we thought you would," the black haired man sneered, "It's a shame they'll both have to d-"

"No!" Alex clenched his fists trying to keep his voice level, "I'll make the choice."

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><p>Authorities were working without sleep trying to trace the source of the mysterious channel, and the whereabouts of the teenage boy, but every time they thought they were close they were always re-directed somewhere else. They had searched various places that could be used as a hideout around England, as well as in other countries.<p>

They had been given strict orders from the heads of MI6 to not give up on the search, but the way things were looking at the moment, they were about ready to do just that. The CIA and many other intelligence agencies around the globe were helping in the search, but that didn't seem to make a difference.

For now they were just going to have to watch events take place.

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><p>Alex was taken back to his room to find Ellie and Frank pacing nervously around. As soon as he entered they stopped and waited for Turtle to leave.<p>

"What did they want?" Frank asked, worry obvious in his voice.

He was tempted to tell them everything- tell them to run away, but he knew it wouldn't work.

Coughing slightly, he finally worked up the courage to speak, "N..nothing. They just wanted to ask me why I thought they kidnapped us…I didn't know so they sent me back here."

Ellie looked closely at Alex, blatantly sceptical of his story, but she let it drop.

"Come on sweetie, sit down," she led Alex to the bed. He was in a daze, he couldn't think straight. He didn't want to think, because it meant he would have to choose. Ellie sat next to him.

Frank walked over and handed Alex some leftover water.

"Looks like you need some," he smiled, his voice seemed to be growing weaker by the days. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine…really," he put on the most believable smile he could.

The next hour was filled chatter from Ellie and chuckling from Frank. They were both still worried about Alex but continued hoping he would recover. There were only five minutes left when Alex spoke.

"Hey- Ellie, Frank I have something to tell you," he spoke quickly, not pausing for interruptions, "They didn't take me out to ask me that, they did it for…another reason."

He cleared his throat getting ready to explain everything when the door opened.

"Time up Alex," Turtle stood at the door, his white teeth flashing in the darkening room.

Two men entered the room and grabbed Alex by the arms. He tried to fight back but their grips were crushing into his arms. Frank attempted to separate him from the men but was pushed roughly against the wall. He let out a painful cry as his back smashed against the wall.

"You can't fight us Alex, you'll only cause yourself more pain," Turtle said in a matter of fact voice. Alex wanted to kick him where it hurt most.

Alex was taken to a circular room with two chairs. Ellie and Frank were strapped to the chairs by the guards who didn't seem to care about anything that was about to happen.

"Alex, what's going on?" Ellie asked, he could tell she was afraid.

"They want to kill one of you- they told me to choose. Don't worry Ellie, I won't let them hurt you. You too Frank. They won't hurt y-"

Alex was slapped hard across the face before he could finish. There was a grunt of laughter behind him.

"It seems that young Alex here is in denial. Let me put it simply- one of you will die," he gestured to Ellie and Frank, "Alex will have the honour of choosing which one. If he doesn't choose one of you, you both will die."

There was a silence, and then Frank spoke.

"Alex just choose me. I've lived my life, I have no regrets- Ellie had too much to live for. Please, just do it."

"No…" he couldn't do it.

"_Please_ Alex, I want you to do it."

"Your time up Alex, what is your decision?"

Ellie was sobbing, begging someone- anyone to stop what was happening. That was when Alex acted. He kicked out towards Turtle knocking the man backwards. The two men holding him loosened their grip in surprise, and he elbowed the one to his left. The man gasped before Alex knocked him out with a swing of his fist. The second man was easier to knock out- a kick to the head just about did it. He swung round to face Turtle only to find the man with a gun pointed towards Frank.

"Please, wait!" Alex begged, the tears building up in his eyes.

"Too late."

Two gun shots sounded.


	8. Chapter Seven

**A/N: So it's been like what…a month? Guess what? My laptop has a virus! I'm currently on my sisters' laptop, which she wouldn't let me use. So I had to sneak onto it just to write this up and post it. My laptop should be 'virus free' by next week…hopefully :'(**

**.. SO SORRY. **

**I wish I could type up my whole idea for the story in one day and post it for you guys. I've started college and it's actually REALLY tiring, and requires like 2 hours of revision every day. I think I can hear my sister coming now so I'll just post this quickly. **

**OH and to those who are wondering, my other story is on Hiatus at the moment. I will continue with it once this is over and done with o-o"**

**Anyway, onwards to the story!**

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><p><strong>Chapter Seven<strong>

Alex lay sprawled on the floor, pain shooting through his arm and forehead. He could barely remember how he had gotten there in the first place. The pain in his arm was sharp and felt as if a knife was lodged onto one of his bones. The pain on his forehead didn't hurt as much, but was still there. His vision was blurred and black dots danced across his eyes.

Someone was laughing.

"Oh Alex, playing the hero are we?"

Turtle stood over him, gun in hand. Alex didn't reply- the man had gone too far. It was hard to believe that someone could shoot at an elderly man and a pregnant woman simply because they were part of a game, but the man did just that. Alex had barely managed to jump in front of his friends before the bullets struck home. Turtle stooped down and grabbed Alex's hair tightly.

"You realise you're just causing yourself more pain, right?"

Again, there was no reply.

"Very well."

He lifted the gun slowly towards Ellie.

"Wait!" Alex gasped.

"Yes?"

"You said…you said I can extend my time right?"

"Mhmm…" Turtle confirmed.

"Do it. Extend my time." He was still in pain, but he needed the time. He was lucky as the bullet had only grazed his forehead and his vision was clearing up. There was still the bullet in his arm, but he would worry about that later.

Turtle was outright smiling right now. It was as if he had been waiting for this moment.

"What a splendid idea Alex! Let's get started shall we?"

As if on cue three burly looking men entered the room. They walked in unison, as if they were part of the army. The first of the men grabbed Alex by his good arm and pulled him to his feet. He swayed a little but was able to stand after a few uncertain seconds. He saw Ellie and Frank staring at him, still in shock after what had just happened, both with tears in their eyes. The man who had lifted Alex to his feet was now leasing the way out of the room. Alex followed him; the other two men close behind him and Turtle at the back.

He was led down a flight of stairs, to some sort of cellar no doubt. It was dark, like something you would see in the movies. He could feel goose bumps on his arms as cold air hit them. Suddenly, lights flared around him. Torches were lit around the cellar casting shadows around the room. What Alex saw next was horrifying.

A tall largely built man stood to the side of the room- if he was worthy of being called a man. His looked as if someone had tried to burn it off. His eyes were black holes; Alex could see no compassion in them. He was staring directly at the boy, and if his face was capable of showing emotions Alex would have sworn he looked almost…eager.

Alex's eyes settled on the contraption at the centre of the room. The hairs on his arm stood on end. Recognition washed over him as he looked at the circular item. A wooden wheel. If he had never had numerous history lessons in his high school, he would have probably laughed. Who in their right minds would use a wheel as a torture method? Unfortunately the memories of his history teacher explaining what this item was used for echoed through his mind. 'The Breaking Wheel'. One of the most brutal methods of torture used during the Middle Ages. The victim would have his or her limbs attacked to spokes on the wheel, which was then slowly rotated around. The worst part about it wasn't getting dizzy though. It was something much worse. That's when he saw it.

The man with the burnt face was holding a large iron hammer. It swung threateningly back and forth in his grasp. Alex watched knowing full well what it was used for. The pain of his bullet wounds felt like nothing knowing the pain he was about to go through.

"This, Alex Rider, is the Breaking Wheel. It is sometimes called the Catherine wheel but either name is fine. What is important is what it is used f-"

"Save me the history lesson. I know what it is." Alex cut in.

Turtle looked a little disappointed, but continued nonetheless. "I was explaining it for the audie-" he coughed loudly and looked away as if he had said something wrong. If his ears weren't playing tricks on him yet Alex could have sworn he was about to say audience. What audience? The only people around him were the men who had brought him into the cellar- and of course the large disfigured man with the hammer, but he was sure Turtle wasn't referring to them. Was there some sort of one way window somewhere in the room?

"Well seeing as you already know what's going to happen, let's get started!" there was a hint of annoyance in Turtle's voice to the amusement of Alex.

He was roughly pushed roughly forward. In a matter of minutes he was strapped down to the wheel. Fear coursed through his veins as he pictured the man with the hammer. As if reading his thoughts the burnt face appeared above Alex, smiling down at him which, of course, did nothing to calm his nerves.

"You have an hour to make your decision Alex. You have already witnessed that I was not lying when I said I would shoot your friends. This is your last chance to save one of your friends."

The wheel started to spin and he felt his body tense, awaiting whatever impact was coming. His eyes were tightly shut, and he tried to control his breathing.

The first strike was to his leg. The pain was more than he had expected and had him gasping. It felt like the iron had directly hit the bone on his leg. The following blows weren't any better, and Alex was surprised he was able to stay conscious. As to blows progressed so did the pain. Each time he didn't think it could get any worse, but each time he was wrong. Fifteen minutes into the torture, he'd had enough. The hammer struck down onto his arm. The same arm that had been shot not long ago. A howl of pain escaped his lips as he felt the hammer slam into him.

"Stop…" Alex cried out. His eyes were watering, and he sounded helpless but he didn't care. All he wanted was for the pain to stop.

The wheel slowed down.

"Have you come to a decision?" Turtle smirked.

"Yes."

"I'm waiting."

"Frank…" Alex felt warm tears stream down his face. He was shocked that he had actually found the courage to say it.

"Ahh, finally," Turtle let out a fake sigh of relief. He looked pleased with the boy's decision.

Alex felt the straps around his limbs being loosened. He was lifted to his feet and half dragged out of the cellar. Turtle led the way back to the room they had just come from. Frank and Ellie looked up as they entered the room. They both let out gasps of shock at the sight of Alex. He wondered just how bad he looked.

"What have you done to him?" Frank said through clenched teeth. Alex hated how the man still cared for him…even after he had just made the decision to end his life.

"We simply helped him with his decision," Turtle grinned at Frank.

He lifted the gun and pointed it towards the old man's forehead.

"I'm sorry Frank…" Alex whispered. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't stop the man being shot this time. He didn't have the energy.

"Take care of yourself Alex. You too Ellie," Frank smiled at them both, his eyes shining with tears. Ellie was sobbing quietly as she watched events take place. "I'm glad I was able to meet the two of you."

The bullet went straight through his forehead, killing him in a matter of seconds. His body slumped over and fell to the floor, the smile slowly fading from his face.

Alex felt sick to his stomach. He fell to his knees and threw up. His limbs were screaming out in pain, and he could feel every movement. The tears weren't going away as much as he tried not to think about it. Even through all the physical pain he felt the emotional pain twice as much. Rolling over onto his back he let the darkness consume him. The last thing he saw was an object at the corner of the room.

A camera.

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><p><strong>AN: I shall reply to all reviews to this chapter! I'm so sorry I haven't been able to reply to them all, but this is a promise. I promise on my life!**


	9. Chapter Eight

**Okay guys, I tried putting this chapter up for you last week but for some reason FF wasn't letting me log in. I waited a few says but here it is! I had three exams this week, and two next week. I'm pretty sure I'm going to fail them all o-o" But anyway, enjoy the chapter! It's a little short but I wanted to get something up for you guys before you started hating me :')**

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><p><strong>Chapter Eight<strong>

"_How is he doing?"_

"_His wounds are healing well, but I don't think he's ready…"_

"_Ready? It's not about being ready. It's been three days already. He's due to make the next choice in four days. As long as he is conscious he can make the decision."_

"_But Sir…"_

"_Yes?"_

"_Nothing."_

Alex Rider lay still listening to the conversation. The man being addressed as 'sir' was no doubt Turtle. The man he hated more than anything. Four days until his next choice…four days to escape. He wondered about Ellie- if she was safe, and he tried to ignore the gut wrenching feeling whenever he thought about Frank. If Jack was here, she would have been comforting him. Telling him he had made the right choice, but no. He hadn't. Both choices were wrong, but one had to be made.

He couldn't feel much pain, probably because of everything that they had injected into him. The bullet wound had been treated, and so had all the other various injuries he had sustained. He was sure that many of his bones were broken. His head pounded as he remembered the dreaded night. He couldn't actually remember everything- just random memories here and there. He was glad for it. There was something he had to find out though- what audience was Turtle talking about? Although the man hadn't actually said the word, it was the only thing that fit…and why was there a camera in that room?

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><p>Jack was a mess. She had hardly eaten anything over the past few days and was permanently glued to the television. She had seen everything. Alex being shot. Alex being tortured. Alex having to decide which one of his friends to kill. It would have been too much for her- but she knew he was stronger than her. Although it was hard, she knew he would make it through this. It was the only thing that kept her going.<p>

There was a knock at the door, but she didn't move. Whoever it was would just think she was out and leave. The knocking started to get louder, and more irritating. She stood up and walked over to the door, preparing to give the visitor a death stare. She was halfway through her stare when she realised who the person was. The woman she had been trying to contact for the past few days to no avail. Tulip Jones.

"Good evening Miss. Starbright, may I come in?"

"What do you want?"

"I need to talk to you. I understand you have been trying to contact me for a while now? I'm sorry it has taken so long but you must understand we have been very busy. There are many people out there who wish ill intent on the boy, and MI6, so as you may have guessed we have had several threats to expose the boys secret. Of course, they all have been dealt with," she cleared he throat slightly. "May I come in?"

Jack hesitated, but moved away from the door nonetheless. Ms. Jones followed her into the living room, where she wrinkled her nose at the sight- and smell of the place. On the television screen was a boy lying on a bed. He had various tubes going into and out of his body, and countless bruises. Although he was asleep, he still managed to look exhausted.

"Have a seat," Jack gestured to the sofa.

She just looked at the sofa and back to Jack. "I'll stand thank you, I won't be here for long."

"Suit yourself," Jack said, taking the place she previously offered the woman. "What is it you wanted to tell me?"

"It's about Alex."

"So I guessed…"

"As you full well know, the boy hasn't been in the best condition over the past few days. What you may not know is that we think we have found the location of the boy."

"What? Why hasn't it been on the news?" Jack almost screamed at the woman.

"If this information was known to everyone then the boys captors would be expecting us."

"Expecting you to do what?"

"I have spoken with Mr. Blunt and we both have come to a decision. Even though it is a _very _high risk, we think it is about time we take action. We are sending in a few people to rescue the boy. You may know of them."

"Who?" Jack couldn't think of anyone she knew other than Alex and a select few who worked for MI6. She didn't care though. Alex was finally going to be rescued.

"Alex may have mentioned them to you. He trained with these four men before his first mission. I believe they were called the 'K-Unit."


	10. Chapter Nine

…

**I am SO sorry it's unbelievable! It's been months. I've been a lazy fool. I suck. I don't deserve any praise, I deserve insults. Again I'm SORRY! Thank you for those of you who have reviewed and kept up with my story, I honestly love you and you deserve a better author than me! I've had AS Level exams last week, and a bunch of other stuff, and I know I should still find time to write for you guys, but my motivation has like dropped. I shall continue though. Here is the next chapter that I owe you guys. **

**(Did I mention I was sorry? ;A;)**

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><p><strong>Chapter Nine<strong>

The room in which Alex Rider lay was silent. He hadn't opened his eyes yet, in case someone was still in the room. It was only until he was certain there was nobody there that he lifted his eyelids. He lay on a bed- the most comfortable thing he'd slept on for a while. There was a blanket pulled up against his chest, and although the room was warm, he couldn't get rid of that cold feeling inside. It was not the kind of feeling that could be dealt with by simply snuggling yourself into a duvet, or putting on a coat. It was lodged deep within him- so deep he was unsure whether he would ever get rid of it. The horrors of the past weeks had gotten to him, and no matter how hard he tried to forget or ignore them, they were there.

There was a single source of illumination across from where the boy lay. It hung there on the wall, as if watching him, waiting for him to make a move. Alex blinked several times to adjust his eyes to the light, and sat up form where he lay. He heard footsteps outside in the corridor, but they walked past his room. There was a tray on a stool next to his bed, with a glass of water and some fruits. They were most likely drugged, so he didn't bother sampling them. Ignoring his parched throat, he got up from his bed, instantly regretting his decision. Pain shot through his leg, and he fell to the floor gasping, only to be greeted by more pain delivered by his arm. Oh yeah, he'd forgotten. Only days ago he had been strapped to a Breaking Wheel and had his bones crushed by a psychopath. Brilliant. Biting down the pain, he dragged himself up into a half-standing position. He tested both his legs, and came to the conclusion that his right was more damaged than his left. He took a few steps, making sure not to take anything too quickly.

Just as he was getting the hang of things, the door burst open. Standing in the doorway was Turtle.

"Ah, Alex. Glad to see you're up and about."

Alex didn't respond, he only stood there staring at the man across from him with more hatred than he could ever have believed possible.

"It's about time," Turtle continued, "I was getting worried. After all, you're due to make your next choice tomorrow."

Crap. Had it been that long already? There wasn't enough time left for him to find a way out.

"Are you just going to stand there and tell me things I already know?" Alex lied.

Turtle started at him for a while with curious eyes.

"I see you still have some fighting spirit in you boy. I would have expected a more…well mannered person by now."

"Well you expected wrong, didn't you?"

"Yes, it seems I did. Never mind anyway, you'll lose that spirit all in good time."

"That's what you think." Alex muttered under his breath, and was glad when Turtle didn't seem to hear the comment.

"You must be hungry. You haven't touched your fruit."

The loud growl from Alex's stomach was answer enough.

"Come with me." Turtle said, and walked out of the room. Alex followed behind, limping the whole way. Turtle didn't make any effort to slow down, but he didn't mind. He didn't want the man to think he was weak. It took five minutes to arrive at their destination- a small dining room with a round table in the middle. There was food laid out on it- thinly slice ham, and what seemed to be turkey, roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings. There was a small gravy boat in the middle of the table. The smell was delicious- he hadn't smelt something this good in weeks. Sitting down without being asked, Alex took one of the roast potatoes, dipped it into the gravy and stuffed it into his mouth. It tasted of heaven. It was warm and slid through his throat without hesitation. There was a glass of wine on the table, and although Alex didn't drink, he gulped it down. It was cool against his dry throat, and he hadn't felt this good in a long time.

"Help yourself, it's all for you."

It took him a full half an hour to finish his food, and he was sure he'd almost finished the whole bottle of wine. He tried not to drink more, but with each sip he took, the flavours danced in his mouth sending him into a sort of temporary bliss. Once he was finished, he looked to Turtle who had sat patiently opposite him watching him as if he were an interesting creature.

"What are you going to do with me now? Send me back to my cell?" The words came out slurred, and for a minute Alex wondered if he'd even made sense.

"No, I'm not. It seems a little harsh to put you back in that place in your condition."

Alex grunted. The man watched him being hammered half to death, yet he thought _this _was harsh?

"Where am I staying then?"

"Oh- you can stay in the room you were just in. You'll be provided with dinner later on, and then you'll be left to do what you please. As long as it's in the room I mean."

Alex thought about it- as hard as that was in his condition. He found it difficult to concentrate as his mind kept wandering onto other things.

"These two guards will lead you back to your room." With that, Turtle got up and left the room. Alex looked to where the man had gestured and say two men standing in the back of the room. He hadn't noticed them there before, and could hardly even see them now.

Standing up was more of a challenge than he had anticipated. The two men came to steady him as he was about to fall. He could make out through his blurred vision that one had black hair, and the other was blonde. The both looked rather young, and he wondered what they were doing working for these people. He was half lifted/ half escorted down the corridor. Before they could make it back to the room though, he felt a pounding in his head. Clutching his hair with his hands he leant against to wall waiting for the feeling to pass. It didn't though. It followed with a sick feeling in his stomach.

"Where's the toilet?" He shouted out to no-one in particular. "I'm going to be sick."

The men hesitated for a second, and then pointed to a door at the left of the corridor. Alex ran for it, ignoring what the men were saying to him. Sprinting into the toilet shutting the door behind him he threw up the food in which he had just eaten. What a waste he thought to himself as he regurgitated. There was a loud knock coming from the door behind him, but he ignored it. There was still a pounding feeling in his head, and he wanted nothing more than for it to go away. He wanted to throw up more, but there was nothing left in his stomach. The knocking was getting quieter, and Alex wasn't sure whether it was because they were giving up or because he was losing consciousness. Probably the latter. Just as he was about to pass out the door burst open and the two guards came rushing in. The one with the darker hair stooped down to look at him, and he couldn't help but notice the look of concern in the man's eyes. That's when he realised it. He'd seen this face before. He knew this man.

"…Wolf." Alex barely whispered.

Then there was darkness.


	11. Apology

Hi guys, I know I'm not supposed to post anything other than chapters on here but I thought I needed an explanation for my absence.

First I must say you have ALL been so lovely, and I cannot thank you enough for leaving such wonderful reviews.

The reason I have not updated in so long is 1) Exams of course and 2) My laptop had died. Literally, I sent it off to fix and now apparently it's 'unable to repair' so I only have my phone to use the internet. My sister has gone off to Uni and and taken her laptop with her, and my fathers laptop is absolute rubbish, so I haven't gotten a chance.

I'm in the library right now, and don't have the time to type up a chapter, but I promise you I WILL update tomorrow for the latest. Maybe even tonight. I honestly can't be bothered to go to college tomorrow so I can stay up late writing the next chapter or I will write it tomorrow, and I'll use a friends computer to post it.

Sorry again that this is not an actual chapter update, but I promise you guys I am not abandoning this story. Feel free to scold me, I deserve it.

Thank you for your patience and if you are actually still with this story, I must say you are brilliant. I love you.

[This will be deleted when I post the next chapter]


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